Children and their families will be able to take part in a nationwide Public Television initiative to help promote volunteerism on Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Eastdale Mall.

The Be My Neighbor Day program, held in part to honor PBS icon Mister Rogers, will make a stop at Eastdale Mall, bringing PBS KIDS favorites Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat to the Capital City.

Alabama Public Television and APTV’s IQ Learning Network invite children up to age 8 to join others in the River Region for hours of crafts, activities, free train and carousel rides, and an opportunity to begin a life of helping others.

Organizers also will be collecting used coats, jackets and sweaters to donate to those in need, said Mike McKenzie, director of programming and public information for APTV. “We will have collection bins at the registration area for new and gently used coats and sweaters. Participants are not required to donate anything,” he said. “This is something we have done at each event as a nod to Fred Rogers. All collected items are being donated to Family Guidance Center of Alabama that will distribute them to various agencies around Montgomery.”

The Be My Neighbor Day program, held in part to honor PBS icon Mister Rogers, will make a stop at Eastdale Mall.(Photo: Contributed)

The occasion will be the third Be My Neighbor Day event in Alabama. The first event was held at Railroad Park in Birmingham, and in 2017 an event took place at the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library in Huntsville.

“Based on the popular PBS children’s program 'Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,' Be My Neighbor Day invites children ages zero to 8 and their families to participate in family volunteer activities that support their neighbors, teaching emotional intelligence and human respect,” McKenzie said, adding that mall staff have been easy to work with as the day for the gathering approaches. “Eastdale Mall has been very accommodating…. Several years ago, APT did mall events around the state that were very successful so we figured this would be a good time to revisit this.”

'Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood' is an animated program for preschoolers ages 2 to 4 which builds on the pioneering PBS series 'Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,' which celebrated its 50 anniversary this year. The series, for a new generation of children, tells its engaging stories about the life of a preschooler using musical strategies grounded in Fred Rogers’ landmark social-emotional curriculum. Through imagination, creativity and music, Daniel and his friends learn the key social skills necessary for school and for life, PBS says.

The Be My Neighbor Day program, held in part to honor PBS icon Mister Rogers, will make a stop at Eastdale Mall.(Photo: Contributed)

Several PBS stations across the country have hosted Be My Neighbor Day events with great success, attracting more than 1,000 families, McKenzie said. Representatives from police, fire, and recuse departments have been invited to the event, he added.

Everyone must register for the event in order to attend. Onsite registration will be available, but online registration is encouraged to make the check-in move faster. Visit www.aptiq.org/BeMyNeighbor/ to register for the event.

At check-in, each child will be given a boarding pass that contains a list of trolley stop and activities taking place at each site. Daniel Tiger and Katarina Kitty Cat will be rotating through the crowd for photos. Eastdale Mall is also giving away free carousel and train rides to those who are registered, and offering half price ice skating, McKenzie said.

Organizers believe that exposing children to volunteering opportunities when they are young will help inspire a life of giving. “Children learn through example. And if you start showing children ways to be a caring neighbor at a young age they are more likely to contribute through their lives,” McKenzie said.

There will be 14 trolley stops where children can spend time making something to share with neighbors, including planting a flower, making thank-you notes for first responders, decorating picture frames, making dog treats to donate to the local human society, creating birdfeeders, assembling goodie bags for local veterans, making placemats for senior citizens and other activities.

There will also be opportunities to meet police officers, ride the carousel and train, enjoy face painting, and have photos taken with Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat.

The event is made possible thanks to Alabama Public Television, Fred Rogers Productions, PNC Bank Grow Up Great, and Eastdale Mall. Other organizations donating supplies or volunteers include Great American Cookie, Home Depot, the Montgomery Humane Society, Family Guidance Center of Alabama, UCP of Alabama, Reach Out and Read, Help Be Grow Alabama, Kids and Kin, B.E.S.T., Council on Aging, Veterans Hospital of Montgomery, and Publix.